Forasmuch as Wee are credibly informed that there is a very dangerous passage, at, and neere a place commonly called by the name of Dungennesse, vpon Our coast of Kent, being a lowe poynt of Land iutting farre into the Sea, whereby many persons, aswell Mariners as others, through occasion of trading, and sending into the Southerne parts, haue of late lost their liues and goods, and the Shipping of this Realme, is subiect vnto sundry hidden dangers, passing in and out of the aforesaid Dungennesse, for want of direction by lights in the night to take knowledge of these dangers. Wee haue therefore thought it very expedient and necessary; And by these presents for Vs, Our Heires and Successors: Wee doe ordaine and appoint, that some conuenient Light-house, and Beacon with a light bee there made, erected and maintained, that thereby Shippes and Vessels may passe with safety, aswell by night, as by day. And for the defraying of the necessary charges, and continuall maintainance of the same, that there shall be collected and taken of, and for euery Shippe, Hoy, and Barke, that shall passe that way, one penny vpon euery Tunne outwards bound, and one penny vpon euery Tunne homewards bound, that is to say, of the Merchants a halfe penny, and of the Owners of the Ships Hoy, or Barke a halfe penny, & of such Strangers as shall happen to passe thereby after the like rate as they shall put into any Port or Harbor, although they doe not vnloade or discharge any goods there. And for that Our trusty and welbeloued Seruant Sir Edward Howard Knight, and one of Our Cup-bearers, at the request and desire of sundry Sea-fairing men, and Merchants of the best note, trading into those parts, whereof diuers haue by subscription vnder their hands agreed to the sayd contribution, in regard of the necessitie of the said Light, and the great dangers that haue happened to Our Subiects for want thereof, hath vndertaken to make, erect, set vp, and maintane vpon that part of the said Dungennesse a conuenient Light-house and Beacon, with a continuall Light therein in the night season, for such contribution in that behalfe to bee made as before, and here in after in these presents is mentioned, Know yee, that Wee aswell in consideration of the premisses, as for diuers other good causes and considerations, Vs hereunto moouing, of Our especiall grace, certaine knowledge and meere motion, haue giuen and granted, and by these presents for Vs, Our Heires and Successors, Wee doe giue and grant vnto the sayd Sir Edward Howard Knight, one of Our Cup-bearers, his Executors, Administrators and Assignes, and vnto all and euery such other person and persons as shall haue power and authoritie in this behalfe from him and them, or any Deputie or Deputies of his and theirs free libertie, licence, power and authoritie, that hee and they, and euery of them, shall, and may make, build, erect, set, continue, renew and maintaine, and cause to bee made, builded, erected, set vp, continued, renewed and maintayned in such place or places of the Sea-shores, and Vp and neere the Sea Coastes, or Forelands of the Sea, as to them shall seeme most meete, needfull and requisite, of, or vpon the said Dungennesse a conuenient Light-house and Beacon, with a Light to bee continually burning therein in the night season, whereby the said Sea-fayring men and Mariners, may take notice of the said hidden dangers, and so auoide and escape them, and the Ships the better come to their Port without perill. To haue, hold, exercise and enioy the said liberties, licences, powers and authorities before by these presents giuen and granted, and euery of them vnto the sayd Sir Edward Howard Knight, his Executors, Administrators and Assignes, by him and them, and euery of his and their Deputies, & Factors and Seruants as is aforesaid, from hencefoorth for during, and vntill the full end and terme of fifty yeeres, from thence next ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended in as large & ample manner & forme, to all intents, constructions & purposes, as the Masters of Trinity house at Deptford-strond in our County of Kent, or any other person or persons any the like liberties, licences, powers or authorities, now haue, hold or enioy, or may, or might haue, hold or enioy in any other place or places within this Our Realme. And forasmuch as other order cannot well be taken for the leuying of the said contributions of one penny vpon the Tunne, as aforesaid, for the effecting, establishing, and continuance of this good worke then in the Ports, Roades and Harbors, vnto which the said Merchants and Mariners doe, and shall trade and ariue. Wee doe by these presents, for Vs, Our Heires and Successors, ordaine and appoint, and also straightly charge, command and authorize all, and euery the Customers, Collectors and Comptrollers and all other the Officers of the Customes to Vs, Our Heires and Successors now being, and which for the time being, shall bee in Our Port of London, and in all and euery other the Ports, Harbours, Roades & places within this Our Realme of England, to whom & where it shall or may appertaine, that they or some of them from time to time, and at all times hereafter, during the said terme of fifty yeeres, before such time as they or any of them doe giue any Cocket or other discharge, do collect and receiue the said contribution herein before specified aswell of all and euery such Merchants and Strangers, or all and euery such Ship, Hoy or Barke, belonging to any Merchant or Stranger, as shall ariue or anchor within Our Port of London, or any other the Ports, Harbours, Roades and places within this Our Realme of England. And that they and euery of them doe, and shall yeelde and make due accompts and payments of all and euery such contributions, summe & summes of money, as by them, euery and any of them shall bee so collected or receiued from time to time, vnto the sayd Sir Edward Howard Knight, his Executors, Administrators or Assignes, to bee by him or them receiued and retained to their owne proper vse and behoofe, for and in respect of his and their charges, in erecting and maintaining the said Light-house Beacon and Light, to the vse and purpose herein before mentioned, without any accompt or other thing therefore, or for any part thereof by him, or them, or any of them, therefore to bee yeelded, made or giuen. And to the end and intent that the said Sir Edward Howard Knight, his Executors, administrators and Assignes, shall and may the better haue and enioy the full force, benefit and effect of this Our present grant, Wee doe also by these presents for Vs, Our Heires and Successours require, charge & authorize aswell the Lords of Our Priuie Counsell, as also all Maiors, Sheriffes, Iustices of Peace, Bayliffes and other Officers and Ministers of Vs, Our Heires and Successours, to whom it doeth or shall appertaine, that they and euery of them be from time to time hereafter ayding and assisting to the said Sir Edward Howard Knight, his Executors, Administrators and Assignes, in, and concerning the premisses, vpon euery complaint or request in that behalfe to bee made according as to Iustice shall be required by them or any of them without delay.
Witnesse Our selfe at Westminster, the eight and twentieth day of August. In the yeere of Our Reigne of England, France and Ireland the thirteenth, and of Scotland the nine and fortieth.
Whereas Our late deare Father King IAMES of happy memory, out of His Princely care for the safety of His Subiects, both in their persons and goods, by His Letters Patents vnder the great Seale of England, did authorize and command certaine Moneys to bee leuied and collected for the maintenance of a Light at Dungennesse, thereby to auoyd that danger and hazzard, which otherwise they that passe that way would be subiect vnto; And did further appoynt, that those Moneys so collected, should be payd vnto William Lamplugh, one of the Clerkes of his Kitchin, (and now Our Seruant in the same place) in recompence of his great trauell and charge to erect and maintaine the said Light. And whereas our sayd deare Father, vpon notice, that the said collection, by the practise of some vnder-Minister in the Custome-house, was detained, and our Seruant defrauded of the benefit intended vnto him thereby, did, by His Letters directed vnto the then Farmers of the Customes, will and command them to assist Our sayd Seruant, or his deputy, that the said Moneys might be duely leuied and payd, as before they had beene, which accordingly hath been performed. Wee being graciously pleased, that the benefit of those Moneys should be duely continued and payd to Our sayd Seruant, aswell in regard of his paines and expence, as also, out of Our speciall care of Our Subiects, lest through default of that collection, Our sayd Seruant should bee discouraged, and so the Light at Dungennesse neglected, to the great perill of those that passe thereby, haue thought fit, by these Our Letters, to require and command you, to ayde and assist Our said Seruant, or his Deputie, to collect and receiue the sayd Moneys in such sort as formerly they were payd for Merchandizes either exported or imported, and that you deliuer no Cocquet or discharge to any Merchant, Master, or others, for any goods, vntill such time as the Moneys aforesayd, bee fully payd, in such manner as they haue been heretofore satisfied, according to the purpose and intent of the said Letters Patents.
Giuen vnder Our Signet at Out Palace of Westminster the fourteenth day of March, in the second yeere of Our Reigne.